The Wilmingtonian., 1887-01-15

| from IL tue Jnlck packet OI ner own ietteIs,a
bow of blue ribbon, and old glove, aud one
or two pictures, and thrust them in her pock-
ct. Then she came to me, aud taking my
hand in hers, drew from it ring she had
once given me. and in its place put the one
like it which had given her; the only differ
ence in the two was in the Inscriptions with
in them.
was 30 astonished, so curious, that for
got my disappointment in regard to the kiss
but listened with eagerness to what she
should say now that Kitty came back to the
room.
81 suppose you have wondered, Mrs
Kramer, to see me so calm about your
brothers death, but the truth il that we
came to the conclusion, only this very mora
ing, that we were unsuted to one another
you knew that he was coming away from
my house when he was run over, did you
notp Yes, thought so. Well, he had just
returned my letters to me, and in his pres
ence | have burned his to me. He had been
pleased for some time to be jealous of the at
tentions Mr.. Carter paid me, aud | had at
last owned that il l were free l should ac-
cept Mr.. Carter. or course, under these
circumstances you cannot expect me to be-
wall Fred's death nor wear mourning for
him. indeed, don't see why | need go to
his funeral. believe I'll go and visit my
cousins in Albany until it is all over.
speak thus plainly to you because | knew
there has never been any love lost between
| us two.
Now, there was not one word of truth in
what Lima had said And you may imagine
how her story surprised me. What with be-
| ing considered dead when was keenly alive
to all that was going on around me, and with
hearing such q remarkable tale, | had no
chance to be broken hearted over the defec-
tion Of my lady-love.
So had been run overl Well, it was
something to have learned that much.
had FAINT memory of starting to cross
street, and then of shout, a rush, blow
and then nothing until heard my brother
in-law utter the words already quoted.
But my surprists were not at an end. The
statement thus calmly given by Lima was
scarcely out of her mouth when my doog
was again opened and Theresa Ainsleigh en-
tered. My sister welcomed her cordially
she and Kitty We're very intimate, aud she
was as much at home in our house as any
one OF Us were. The greetings exchanged
between her and Lima were, however, of an
ICY character. While Kitty and Lima were
saying few parting nothinRs, Theresa drew
near my bed, and | saw, to my surprise, that
her eyes were full of tears, which would not
be stayed, but welled up until they dropped
upon my unrespunsive hand yet Lima had
not showed a trace Of feeling had a queer
sensation, as il | were assisting at some spec
tace, and were an invisible auditor at that
As the door closed behind Lima, Theresa
threw herself GU her knees aud sobbed
aloud
'oh, Fred, Why were you taken? My dar-
ling, my darln. y
Here was a revelation Theresa loved mel
So it was lor my sake she had refused more
than one capital offer, aud had simply set
her down as cold and maidlsh! She was a
dear little thing, anyway.
Kitty has since said that she, too, was SO
astoulshed she did not know what to say
first; suddenly she remembered that perhaps
| could hear all that was going ON, and, If so,
maybe ! would at last appreciate Theresa as
she deserved, so she would not, just now,
undeceive her. Then again, if she told Ther
esa that it was not cadaver, to whom She
was telling her love, the poor girl would be
too much mortified to ever look us in tho
face; by and by, If OUto was correct in lis
opinion about my condition, it " ould be easy
to tell her that had been restored, but not
to let her know that had ntver bten given
up by my own family.
Theresa conf med Kitty in this intention
b. risiug aud pressing long, wal IN kiss ON
my STONE lips aud Fastening hulu the loom,
La the intervals OF consciousness " hich
came to mo | had leisure to m ditate up n
the two gris, l blamed myself for bel, &
hal d.hearted because could not feel the
sorrow at Lina's loss which it SIT med to me
that ought to experience, and The esa s
bright eyes and sweet mouth would .ise be-
lore my mental VISION in most unaccus-
toned way. | really felt quite grateful to
Kitty for what was sure was ii liJIle arti.
flee ON her part TO cIuvince me how little
Lima had actually cared for me, although
her scheme had succeeded beyo ID her Wild
est hopes.
A few hours convinced all my physicians
thai the Angel OF Death had not yet beel
sent for me aud. though was III for severa
weeks, | was at last restored to my usua
health. In the days Of my clnyalescenct
Theresa frequently came to read or sing t,
me, aud my eyes now being open to virtues
| found myself getting seriously i'll love witt
her.
One day | surprised her by saying;
"By-tne-by, Theresa, when is my ole
sweetheart, Ferolne Palmer, going to b
married ?'
"Why, hasn't Kitty told you? Her en-
+ gagement TO Harold Cater was broken Of
in less than fortnight; it tuned out he wa
alIeady married, though separated from hi
} wife, aud her father made such a talk abou
: IL that Harold disappeared
And lett Lima IN the lurch, eh? Well, sh
/ got her pay ior jiltiug me much sooner tina
: | lancied she would. Why do you look s.
surpiaedP Did you believe the story sh
8 told KITTY? There was not word Of tlut
in iJ.''